{"id":275455,"date":"2010-02-04T08:15:30","date_gmt":"2010-02-04T13:15:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chicagopressrelease.com\/?p=15793"},"modified":"2010-02-04T08:15:30","modified_gmt":"2010-02-04T13:15:30","slug":"tobacco-heir-to-speak-out-against-tobacco-at-saint-francis-hospital","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/275455","title":{"rendered":"Tobacco heir to speak out against tobacco at Saint Francis Hospital"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Saint Francis Hospital’s keynote speaker at HeartFest 2010<\/em> will be Patrick Reynolds<\/span>, grandson of \u00a0cigarette company founder R.J. Reynolds and president of the Foundation for a Smokefree America.<\/p>\n

The keynote speech by Mr. Reynolds, a leading anti-smoking advocate, will be held Thursday, Feb. 18<\/span> at 1 p.m.<\/span> in the auditorium at Saint Francis Hospital, 355 Ridge Avenue, Evanston, Ill.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mr. Reynolds will discuss the dangers of tobacco in his address “Tobacco Wars: the Battle for a Smoke-free Society.” <\/span><\/p>\n

Saint Francis Hospital’s annual Heart Festival includes free health information, physician lectures, a healthy cooking demonstration, and free health screenings.<\/p>\n

The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.<\/span> at the hospital, with the keynote speaker beginning discussion promptly at 1 p.m.<\/span><\/p>\n

About Patrick Reynolds<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Patrick Reynolds<\/span> lost his father, R.J. Reynolds, Jr., his oldest brother R.J. Reynolds III, his aunt and other family members due to cigarette-induced emphysema, heart disease, and lung cancer.<\/p>\n

Concerned about the mounting health evidence against tobacco, he made the decision to speak out against the industry his family helped build. \u00a0From family tragedy, a passionate advocate emerged.<\/p>\n

Former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop<\/span> said of him, “Patrick Reynolds<\/span> is one of the nation’s most influential advocates of a smoke-free America. \u00a0His testimony is invaluable to our society.”<\/p>\n

Patrick first spoke out publicly at a Congressional hearing in favor of a ban on all cigarette advertising in 1986. \u00a0Reynolds’ advocacy work, motivational talks to youth and appearances in the press have made him a well-known and respected champion of a smoke-free society.<\/p>\n

He has made numerous television appearances, including the Oprah Winfrey Show<\/span>, The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Larry King<\/span>, ABC’s Nightline, The Phil Donahue Show, Extra, Entertainment Tonight, and numerous other national and international television and radio shows.<\/p>\n

In March 2009<\/span>, Reynolds met in Washington, DC<\/span> with Rep. Henry Waxman<\/span>, a co-sponsor of the Congressional bill for FDA regulation of tobacco, to offer his support. \u00a0The bill passed both Houses, and President Obama signed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act into law on June 22, 2009<\/span>.<\/p>\n

About Saint Francis Hospital<\/strong><\/p>\n

Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, Ill.<\/span> is a Level I Trauma Center with a long history of leadership and “firsts” in cardiac medicine and technologies.<\/p>\n

In the 1950s, Saint Francis Hospital performed the first cardiac bypass surgery in the Chicago<\/span> metropolitan area; it was the first Accredited Chest Pain Center in Illinois<\/span> and is the only Accredited Chest Pain Center on Chicago<\/span>’s North Shore; additionally, Saint Francis Hospital was the first hospital in the Midwest to offer a specialized, 64-slice 3-D Computed Tomography (CT) test for the heart; as well as the first hospital in the Midwest to use the cardiac marker Troponin to diagnose heart attacks.<\/p>\n

Saint Francis Hospital (sfh.reshealth.org<\/a>) is a part of Resurrection Health Care, a family of health care services providing advanced medical care and exceptional customer service with compassion and hope.<\/p>\n

Our hospitals, nursing homes, retirement communities, home health services, behavioral health programs, and other services are conveniently located in many Chicago<\/span> and suburban neighborhoods.<\/p>\n

FACTS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF SMOKING<\/strong><\/p>\n

Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death and disease:<\/p>\n